Amid a growing wave of nationwide strikes and protests in cities across Iran, Molana Abdolhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, has stated that recent unrest is rooted in severe living conditions and a deepening economic deadlock, warning against the authorities’ continued disregard for public demands.

In a message published on his official account on the social media platform X, Molana Abdolhamid directly addressed the deteriorating economic and livelihood conditions of the population, writing: “Intolerable living conditions and the existing deadlock have led to the emergence of popular protests.”

His remarks come as Iran has witnessed a sharp rise in the prices of basic goods, the continued collapse of the national currency, widening poverty, and the inability of large segments of society to meet even minimum living needs—factors that have fueled a new wave of public dissatisfaction in numerous cities.

In the same message, the Friday prayer leader of Zahedan criticized the country’s governing approach, stating: “Ignoring the sincere proposals of concerned voices for necessary reforms has pushed Iran into political and economic crises.”

These statements are made amid ongoing labor and public protests across the country, ranging from strikes by workers and retirees to protest gatherings by shopkeepers and citizens, while security forces have responded with increasingly heavy-handed measures.